Narrator: Hi there! We all know that physical activity and exercise
are key to healthy living,
and sports are a great way to get our bodies moving.
But we also need to know about safety and how to respond to injuries.
Most of the time, like with scrapes, sprains, and breaks,
it's pretty obvious what happened and what you need to do.
It's different with brain injuries, such as concussions,
because the injury is actually in the brain,
so it doesn't show on the outside, or even on X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs.
Still, a person with a concussion feels the effects
and needs the proper care to get better.
Concussions are caused by a blow to the head, face, neck, or body
from a fall, a hit,
or anything that knocks someone with enough force
that their brain moves around inside their skull.
Concussions may affect the way a person thinks, feels, and acts.
Most people recover within one to four weeks,
but for some, the symptoms can be long-lasting
and may even result in long-term issues, such as memory problems or depression.
Concussions are serious injuries that need proper care to get better
and that's why it's important that athletes, students, coaches,
team trainers, officials, educators, and families
all learn how to recognize, respond to, manage, and even prevent, concussions.
So, what do you need to know?
Let's begin with prevention – it's the best medicine!
Start by educating yourself about concussions,
like you're doing right now.
Make sure you and anyone you're supervising
are wearing the right equipment for the sport,
that everything fits properly, and that it's in good condition.
Staying safe also means everyone needs to understand
and respect the rules of the sport.
It's important that everyone commits to their sport organization
or school's Concussion Code of Conduct.
You should promote an environment where everyone is encouraged
to report injuries and feel supported when they do.
Ignoring a concussion can lead to further injury
and long-term issues, so you should understand the dangers
of the all-too-common “tough it out” mentality.
Now, how do you recognize a concussion?
Everyone can help if they know what to look and listen for.
First, consider whether this might be a more serious injury.
Certain red flags mean that this is an emergency
and you should call 9-1-1.
Don't leave the person alone.
Red flags include neck pain or tenderness,
double vision, weakness or tingling in the arms or legs,
severe or increasing headache, seizure or convulsion,
loss of consciousness, and vomiting more than once.
Also, watch for any growing confusion
or increasing restlessness or agitation,
like if the person gets more aggressive or even angry.
It's helpful to remember that concussions are brain injuries,
and the brain does a lot of things,
from telling your body how to move, to processing what you see,
to learning new things, and regulating your emotions.
This means a brain injury can have a number of different signs or symptoms.
They might start right away or take hours, even days, to show up.
Just one sign or symptom is enough to suspect a concussion.
We usually group concussion signs and symptoms
into four categories – physical, cognitive or thinking,
emotional, and sleep-related.
Let's start with physical symptoms.
The most common is headaches.
People often describe feeling pressure in their head
as if there's a power saw running through it.
They might also feel dizzy or nauseous, maybe even throw up.
They might stumble around or lose their balance.
Other symptoms include blurred vision, sensitivity to light or sound,
or ringing in the ears.
The person might feel tired, drowsy, or like they have no energy.
Sometimes people, especially younger children,
can't express how they're feeling and might just say they don't feel right.
And, despite what many people think,
most people with a concussion don't lose consciousness.
The second set of symptoms relate to thinking,
feeling confused or just not thinking as clearly or quickly as usual.
Also having a tough time concentrating and memory problems,
like not remembering what happened just before and after the injury.
The third are emotional symptoms, like getting upset or angry easily,
feeling sad, or nervous, or anxious.
Some people experience depression.
Number four are symptoms related to sleep.
A person might find that they are having trouble
falling and staying asleep, or the opposite,
they might want to sleep a lot.
So now you know what to look for.
If you suspect a concussion, here's what to do.
One, remove yourself or the injured athlete
from activity right away.
This is a must.
Continued participation puts people with concussions
at risk of more severe, longer-lasting symptoms.
Two, if you're supervising the sport or activity,
call the parent or guardian if the athlete is under 18
or the emergency contact if the athlete is over 18.
Three, don't leave individuals with a suspected concussion alone.
And four, anyone removed from sport with a possible concussion
needs to get checked by a physician or nurse practitioner as soon as possible.
They shouldn't return to unrestricted participation
in training, practice, or competition
until they have received medical clearance.
Creating a culture of safety means promoting an environment
where everyone talks openly about concussions
and understands the importance of letting others know
if something doesn't feel right.
That's why communication is so important,
especially since many concussion symptoms
are things that someone feels,
and not necessarily things that others can easily see.
Anyone with a concussion should let others know,
including their sport teams, clubs, schools, coaches,
team trainers, and educators.
Sport teams, clubs, and schools can then support an athlete
in returning to school, physical activity, and sport.
So quick review –
if you're hit, stop and sit out,
see a physician or nurse practitioner, then focus on getting better.
And most people with concussions do get better in one to four weeks,
but some take longer.
Some people may experience symptoms,
such as headaches, neck pain, or vision problems,
for months, or even years.
Others may have lasting changes in their brain
that lead to issues such as memory loss,
concentration problems, or depression.
In rare cases, a person who suffers multiple brain injuries
without healing in between
may develop dangerous swelling in their brain –
a condition known as second impact syndrome,
that can result in severe disability or death.
Each concussion is unique,
so don't compare one person's recovery to someone else's.
Lots of people, especially athletes,
have had injuries that required them to rest and recover.
If you sprain your ankle, you can't run until it's healed
or else you risk re-injuring it or making things worse.
It's the same with a concussion,
except, how do you rest and recover the brain?
Since the brain is involved with pretty much everything we do,
resting it requires taking a break in a few different ways.
A person with a concussion shouldn't do any activities
that may worsen their symptoms.
Depending on the person and their symptoms,
this could mean limiting activities such as exercise, screen time,
or even school work,
generally taking it easy mentally and physically.
This can be easier said than done.
It will take some patience, but remember
that rushing back to activities can make things worse.
Returning to school and sport is a gradual process.
Students in elementary or secondary school
who are diagnosed with a concussion by a physician or nurse practitioner,
must follow their school board's return-to-school plan,
which supports both a gradual return to learning
and return to physical activity.
Contact your school for more information.
Other athletes, including those attending college or university,
must proceed through their sport organization's
return-to-sport protocol.
All students and athletes should work with their health-care professional,
sport organization, and school
to establish individual plans for returning to school and sport.
Most protocols suggest a 24 to 48 hour rest period
before an athlete starts any gradual return to sport.
An athlete must not resume unrestricted training, practice,
or competition until they've received medical clearance.
Most return-to-sport protocols have six steps.
Each step takes at least 24 hours, but could take several days.
An athlete is typically ready for the next step
when they can do the activities in one step
without new or worsening symptoms.
If symptoms get worse at any step,
the athlete should stop and go back to the previous step.
If symptoms don't improve, or if they continue to worsen,
the athlete should return to their physician or nurse practitioner.
It's important to understand that slower recoveries
don't mean failure and aren't necessarily worse.
It's just what that person needed to heal.
On to the steps.
Step one is light daily activities that don't worsen symptoms.
Step two is some light aerobic activity.
Things that increase the heart rate just a little,
like going for a short walk.
Step three is individual physical activity,
which might include exercises specific to a sport,
simple drills, like shooting a basketball.
No resistance training.
No risk of contact or head impact.
It's not until the fourth step that a person can resume team practice
and participate in harder drills and some resistance training.
There still shouldn't be any physical contact
with the injured player.
One of many reasons why it's important the whole team understands
and supports the recovery process.
Step five is returning to unrestricted practice,
including contact, where applicable.
Step six is where the person gets back to regular game play or competition.
Don't forget, medical clearance is always required
before the athlete can return to unrestricted practice,
training, or competition.
Check with your sport organization and/or school
for the specific steps and protocol that should be followed.
And remember, returning to school comes first,
before returning to unrestricted sport.
It's essential to work together to prevent,
recognize, and manage concussions.
Athletes, students, parents, health-care professionals,
coaches, team trainers, officials, and educators
all have a part to play.
It's great for friends and peers to also feel part of this team
since they're often the best source of support and encouragement
when someone is recovering from a concussion.
Sports, physical activity, and exercise can play a big part in our lives,
but nothing comes before our long-term health.
If a concussion is recognized early and managed properly,
the brain can heal just like any other part of the body.
Remember –
one, recognize signs and symptoms of a concussion
and remove yourself, or the athlete, from the sport or physical activity,
even if you feel okay, or if they insist they're okay.
Two, get yourself or the athlete checked out
by a physician or nurse practitioner.
Three, support gradual return to school and sport.
Thanks for listening.
[Title: This video is part of a series of Rowan's Law concussion awareness resources. Rowan's Law was named for Rowan Stringer, a high...]
[Title: ...school rugby player from Ottawa, who died in the spring of 2013 from a condition known as second impact syndrome (swelling of the brain caused by a subsequent injury...]
[Title: ...that occurred before a previous injury healed). Rowan is believed to have experienced three concussions over six days while playing rugby. She had a...]
[Title: ...a concussion but didn’t know her brain needed time to heal. Neither did her parents, teachers or coaches.]
[Title: These resources are not intended to provide medical advice relating to health care.]
[Title: For advice on health care for concussion symptoms, please consult with a physician or nurse practitioner.]